A small Illinois community is mourning the loss of two members who are said to have been integral to service and friendship throughout the town. Another community member, who was with the two who died, suffered serious injuries in the collision that took their lives and remains in the hospital at this time. As in some other motor vehicle accidents, a key factor in this collision was a piece of heavy machinery, specifically, a road-cleaning device that was reportedly in motion on the road when the recent tragedy occurred.
The 75-year-old man, who was known and loved by his neighbors, was behind the wheel when the accident took place. He was accompanying his wife, age 77, and another woman, age 66, to visit a friend of theirs in a nursing home. His vehicle somehow collided with the skid steer that was being used to clean the road, the sudden impact of which resulted in the driver’s death as well as the death of the younger woman, who passed away while being transported into the back of an ambulance.
The man’s wife is the only one who survived the incident, but she is still in the hospital. A local coroner who came to the crash site said it is not uncommon for road equipment to blend in with nearby surroundings. It is logical to assume that if such vehicles are not marked with bright reflector tape or other means of better visibility, it may be quite difficult to see them, especially at twilight, which is when the recent crash occurred.
The accident victims were affiliated with a local church community, and their pastor had kind words to say following the tragedy. He said all three victims had hearts of service and were valuable members of the church community. The pastor said the entire town is in shock and deeply saddened at their loss. Illinois motor vehicle accidents like this one often lead to litigation when surviving victims or family members of deceased victims seek financial recovery for their losses.
